Marvel’s rich heritage of legendary artists lost another gem as Marie Severin passed away at 89 this past weekend due to complications resulting from a recent stroke. Severin worked with Marvel for 30 years and on some of the biggest titles released under the banner.
A production artist and colorist initially, she then took up penciling and illustration too, working on titles such as Daredevil, Iron Man, Hulk, Doctor Submarine, Conan the Barbarian and The Sub-Mariner. Severin joined Atlas Comics, later rechristened to Marvel, in the 1950s and worked in various capacities until the late 1990s when bankruptcy hit the comic publication.
Severin was one of the few women working in a male-dominated comic industry, but spent several years of her career in the shadows of more prominent names such as Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. However, she got her share of recognition and appreciation from the industry after co-creating Spider-Woman with Lee as well as a Doctor Strange villain Zom.
Severin’s unblemished service to the comic industry saw her inducted into the Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame in 2001, before being conferred with Comic-Con International’s Icon Award in 2017.
Her passing away triggered an avalanche of condolences and commiserative messages on the social media, most noteably from Stan Lee himself, who shared some of her illustrations on his official Twitter handle. Marvel too, mourned her loss on the official website with the message: “Marie Severin was a pioneer in the comic book industry, and her creativity, artistry, and humor captured the imagination of fans around the world. The Marvel family mourns her loss, and we send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones.”